By nature, I’m an even keeled person. But I must say that I’m currently very excited by a new opportunity that I’m about to introduce to my own family. They don’t know it yet, but very soon we will convene and discuss our family charitable giving plan. Though I know my children and step children and their spouses are incredibly responsible, grounded human beings, the opportunity to give money back to the community as a family will enhance our lives as a family in a multitude of ways.
What’s most exciting though, is that I am going to encourage each of them (not force, since forcing doesn’t work) to include their children (my grandchildren) in some of the charitable giving. I plan on giving each of them a copy of Carol Weisman’s “Raising Charitable Children”. This book is chock full of great ideas for conversations, activities and methodologies for engaging children at every age. I am totally excited to start this project and to nurture it and watch it grow. Since I’ve been in the charitable planning world for thirty-five years, you’d think I would have done this sooner. Being the proverbial shoemaker is not all it’s cracked up to be. But it’s never too late and my grandchildren will benefit from my years of experience as well as this very helpful book.
I know that there are recent longitudinal studies that demonstrate that families that gather around giving communicate better and stay closer to each other. I can’t imagine a negative impact of any of these activities. While these will not be monumental gifts and they will be done anonymously, they will make a difference to everyone involved. I worry that recipients will get less that we do. That may be a nice problem to have.
Contact Two Hawks Consulting for assistance in developing your family charitable giving plan!